Assist strap



June 20, 1939. L.. F, scHMlDT AssIsT STRAP Filed Aug. 9, 1937 m M Ff .w

ATTORNEYS Patente-d June 20, 17973-9 UNITED STATES PATENT orties Assls'r STRAP .Louis r. schmidt, chicago, 111.

Application August 9, 1937, Serial No. 158,191 v10 claims. (c1. 10s-354) My invention relates to automotive vehicles and includes among its objects and advantages the provision of ari-improved assist strap.

In the accompanying drawing:

5. Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a vehicle showin'gmy invention applied ther-etc;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a View taken from the position indicated 'by lineV 3-3 of Fig. 2- with certain parts broken away for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 4 is anenlarged view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; l K

Fig. 5 is a View taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 6 is a view taken along the line 6--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view illustrating th-e assist strap located at "right angles to the vertical position of Fig. 1; 'and v Fig.l 8 is a View taken along the Vline 3 8 of Fig'. 7. Y

In the embodiment selected lto illustrate my invention I make use ofa Yvehicle IS -to the inner wallof which I mount the assist strap I2. Specifically, Athe assist strap comprises a rigid grip lpivotally connected at- I5 with a base plate I8 attachedto the body I by screws 2B. Base plate I8 comprisesmetal depressed to provide a trough 2 2 within which th-e grip I4 is partly Vhoused in itsnormalposition, asindicated in Figs. 1 and 2. The walls YZllfderlning the troughl 22 are angular with respect-to the bottom of the trough'and fade out, as indicated at 23. Lateralextensions .28 are 35 provided at the lower end of the* grip I4`toiaci1- itate an eiective grip. l

The pivotal connection lS comprises ahinge structure #30 made upoi a U-'shape'd element 32 anda plate 34 embeddedfin the material of the 40 grip I4. I prefer to shape the gripotplastic materials so that the plate 34-fmay be effectively vanchored therein at the time of forming. 'In Fig. 3, I illustrate the plate 34 as being provided with an opening 33 for anchoring purposes. One leg 45 of the U-shaped elementS'Z is-provided with a threaded opening 38 forthe reception of a screw lillpassing through an opening 42 in the depressed area'44 ofthe base plate I8. Iprovide the screw 4G withV a shaft part 46 which lies loosely within the opening ft2, but the shaft part provides a vshoulder which abuts the element 32 for connection purposes. The shaft part 46 is sufficiently long to prevent pressure relation between the head of the screw andfthesbase plate so that the grip 55 I4 may be pivoted in either direction about the screw'4 as an axis, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The threaded end of the screw ill may be upset to prevent accidental loosening.

The other leg of the U-shaped element'32 is bent to provid-e a. loop 48 embracing the pin I6,

pleasing in appearance. outwardly'the spring t3 tends to wrap about the loops 43 and k52 while thespring tension holds the ybe'nd'li in effective relation with the end or the grip in all positions.

which loop lies between fingers D comprising integral parts of the plate 34and looped about the pin I3, as at 52. The ends of the pin Iii are rivetedA at 54 tc restrain the pin from longitudinal shifting. Plate 34 terminates in shoulders 53 which have abutting relation at 53 ith the grip I4.

To normally hold the grip I4 within the trough 22 I connect a spring'll with the bight @32 of the U-sliaped element 32 through the medium of a rivet '34. Spring 65D is housed within a recess 68 in the grip I4, and the free end of the spring includes a right-angular bend 33 which has abut.- ting relation with the upper end of the grip I4. .The'tension of the spring El) urges the grip I 4 finto .the trough 22, but the grip may be moved within the trough against the tension of the spring about the axisv I6. Loop 42 is cut away at I0 to provide additional space for the spring 6D when the grip I4 is .pivoted outwardly to the dotted line position oiFig. 4.*

In operation, the 'lower end or the grip Il?. is so shaped and'exp'osedas to be readily accessible, and thegrip may be swung outwardly against the tensionof the spring till. The tension is such as to :eectively-hold the grip within the trough22 but yoilers little resistance to the user when thegrip is vpulled outwardly.` Because ofthe pivotal connection between the hinge structure 3l) and the base .plate I8, the grip I4 may be swung in either 4direction about its horizontal axis, and the taper ing walls 24 are so'shaped as topermit considera- `lol-e lateral swinging of thegrip beforek it has been shifted to a position substantially at right angles to the base plate. In use, the tension of. the

location, and the design of the device as a whole is When the grip is swung Figa? and a illustrate the strap mounted in a horizontal position. When so mounted, the base yplate I8 may be provided with a pressure plate I4 -which lies in a horizontal plane and is so located Vas to lend support to the grip I4 when it is swung outwardlyand downward pressure applied. Plate 'I4 maybe Ywelded to the base plate I8. While I have illustrated the assist strap as being associated with a plate attached to the vehicle, it is perfectly obvious that the wall structure of the Vehicle may be originally designed to provide accommodation and mounting for the assist strap in lieu of the additional base plate.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain my invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

1. An assist strap comprising a grooved support, a grip normally lying within the groove, a pivotal connection between one end of the grip and the support, a second pivotal connection between said one end of the grip and the support arranged at right angles to the first pivotal connection, said pivotal connections being so constructed and ar.

ranged as to provide a universal mounting for the grip, and resilient means cooperable with the grooved support and the assist strap for urging the latter into the groove, said groove being of such depth as to restrain the assist'strap from accidental lateral displacement, but permitting the assist strap to be swung laterally thereof about the axis of one oi said pivotal connections when the assist strap is pivoted outwardly of the groove about the axis of the other pivotal connection.

2. An assist strap comprising a support, a grip, Y

a plurality of pivotal connections between one end of the grip andthe support, and resilient means for yieldingly supporting the grip in a predetermined position, said pivotal connections being so constructed and arranged as to provide a universal mounting for the grip.

3. An assist strap comprising a support, a grip, a plurality of pivotal connections between one end of the grip and the support, and spring means associated with said pivotal connections and cooperating with the grip for holding the latter in a predetermined position, said pivotal connections being so constructed and arranged as to provide a universal mounting for the grip.

4. In a vehicle, a trough, a rigid Vassist strap normally lying in said trough, one end of theA rigid assist strap being swingably connected with said trough, and resilient means cooperable on said trough and the rigid assist strap for urging the latter into the trough, said rigid assist strap being provided. with a grip formation at its opposite end lying outside the trough in all positions ofthe assist strap.

5. In combination, a grooved support, said groove having side walls tapered in the direction of one end of the groove, an assist strap normally lying in said groove, one end of the assist strap being swingably connected with said support at the deep end of the groove, and resilient means cooperable on said support and the assist strap for urging the latter into the. groove, the tapered side Walls cooperating with the resilient means for guiding the assist strap into the groove, said groove being of such depth as to restrain the assist Ystrap from accidental lateral displacement, but permitting the assist strap to be swung laterally thereof when the assist strap is swung outwardly of the groove pivotal connection.

6. In a vehicle, a supporting member shaped to thereof, and a spring xedly connected with a partY of said hinge and having pressure relation with the assist strap for urging the same into the trough, the walls of said trough being of such depth as to lrestrain the assist strap from accidental lateral displacement but permitting the assist strap to be swung laterally thereof when pivoted outwardly of the trough.

-f 7. In a vehicle, a supporting member shaped to provide a trough, an assist strap normally lying inside the trough, a hinge pivotally connected with one end of the assist strap and pivotally connected with said member, said hinge being so constructed and arranged as to permit the assist strap to be pivoted outwardly of the trough and laterally thereof, and a spring iixedly connected with a part of'said hinge and having pressure relation with the assist strap for urging the same into the trough, the axis of the pivotal connection between the hinge and said support being at right angles to the axis of the hinge, the Walls of said trough being of such depth as to restrain the assist strap from l accidental lateral displacement but permitting the assist strap to be swung laterally thereof when pivoted outwardly of the trough.

8. In a vehicle, a supporting member shaped to provide a trough, an assist strap normally lying inside the trough, a hinge pivotally connected with one end of the assist strap Vand pivotally connected with said member, said hinge being so constructed and arranged as to permit the assist strap to be pivoted outwardly of the trough and laterally thereof, and a spring xedly connected with a part of Vsaid hinge and having pressure relation with the assist strap for urging the same into the trough, the axis of the pivotal connection between the hinge and said support being at right angles to the axis of the hinge, said groove having angular side walls cooperating with said spring for guiding the assist strap into the trough, the walls of said trough being of such depth as to restrain the assist strap from accidental lateral displacementl but permitting the assist strap to be swung laterally thereof when pivoted outwardly of the trough.

9. In a vehicle, a grooved support, an assist strap normally lying in said groove, and a universal connection between one end ofV the assist strap and said grooved support, said universal connection being so constructed and arranged as to permitthe assiststrap to be pivoted outwardly of the groove and laterally thereof, the Walls 4of the groove in said support being `of such depth as to restrain the assist strap from accidental lateral displacement but permitting the assist strap to be the groove.

10. In a vehicle, a grooved support, an assist I strap normally lying in said groove, a universal connection between one end of the assist strap and saidgrooved support, said universal connection being so constructed and arranged as to permit the assist strap to be pivoted outwardly of the groove and laterally thereof, and resilient means cooperable on the assist strap and the grooved support for urging .the assist strap into the groove, the walls of the groove in said support being of such depth as to restrain the assist strap from accidental lateral displacement but permitting the assist strap to be swung laterally thereof when pivoted outwardly of the groove. 

